Ear protector



Feb- 25, 1954 v. F. GONGOLL ETAL 3,122,613

EAR PROTECTOR Filed Aug. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb- 25, 1964 v. F.GONGOLL ET'AL EAR PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1958 INVENTOR. Vemonf'anyaarlenlm Bmzi ham/.Simpson wrok/@M United StatesPatent() M' 3,122,613 EAR PROTECTGR Vernon F. Gongoli, Shiilington,Charles J. Boyer, West Reading, and .lack N. Simpson, Greenfieids, Pa.,

assigner-s to The Eiectric Storage Battery Company,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Filed Aug. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 756,614 3 Claims. (Ci. 179-182) Thisinvention relates to ear protectors and, more particularly, toimprovements in ear protectors of the ear muff type, such as shown inShaw et al. U.S. Patent No. 2,801,423, dated Aug. 6, 1957.

An outstanding disadvantage of ear protectors having liquid lledcushions, such as shown in said Shaw patent, is that the liquid filledcushions are not readily removable or replaceable in the event ofleakage of or damage to cushions.

A further disadvantage of such uiddilled cushions is that they are notmade of optimum plastic materials, nor lled with optimum liquids forproviding high eiiiciency in the attenuation of unwanted sounds and longproduct life.

An object of our invention is to provide a novel ear protector assemblywhich includes readily replaceable fluid-lled cushions which are devoidof the above disadvantages and which enable easy and quick 4replacementof faulty or damaged ear cushions.

A further object of our invention is to provide, in addition tohuid-filled cushions for protecting the ear against noises, phonereceivers having novel spring mountings within the ear cups so thataviators, factory workers or the like may be able to listen to incomingtelephone or radio communication without interference from jet enginenoises, factory noises, or the like.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following description taken with the accompanyingdrawings wherein;

FiG. 1 is a side view of an ear protector having a detachablefiuid-iilled cushion embodying the principles of our invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the ear protector shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a rear or inside view of the ear protector shown in FIG. 1when provided with a phone receiver; taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 4;

HG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ear protector assembly showing aflexible band type of detachable mounting for the fluid-filled cushion;

HG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FiG.l, showing a modication of the detachable mounting for `the fluid-filledcushions; and

EG. 6 is a perspective view showing a complete ear protector assemblyembodying huid-filled detachable cushions in accordance with the presentinvention.

Referring more particularly to FiGS. 1-4 inclusive of the drawing,numeral 1 denotes an ear cup made `of suitable plastic material,thermosetting or thermoplastic, and which is more suitably ofsubstantially hemispherical shape for maximum efficiency and highestiidelity of reception of sounds from the ear receivers. About the rim ofcup 1 there is detachably mounted an ear cushion 2 which is in the formof Aa tube of any suitable flexible, plastic material, preferably avinyl material which may be partially or completely iilled with uids,preferably a liquid. We have found that optimum results are obtainablewhen the liquid filling of tube 2 is glycerine and water in the rangefrom to 80% of glycerine, the balance water. We have found that optimumresults are obtainable with about 70% glycerine and 30% water, althoughin some cases the percentage of glycerine may be lowered 3,l22,6l3Patented Feb. 25, 1964 ICC to 60%. We have further found that theglycerine and water mixture should be substantially entirely freed ofair bubbles. This is obtained by evacuating the cushion 2 and when theevacuation is complete, and during the sealing process, squeezing outthe lliquid through a suitable tube outlet (not shown) until 'theundesired air is expelled.

As shown in FIG. 4, integrally attached along the outer periphery oftube 2 is a two-layered extension 2c also of the same plastic materiallas tube 2, and which term-inates in a tensioned ilexible band or G-ring2a sandwiched between the layers of the extension and adapted toencircle a protuberance formed at the mouth of cup 1. Thus it will beseen that the tube 2 is yieldably held in place by contraction of thering 2u onto the protuberance; and when it is desired to replace a`damaged or leaky fluid-filled cushion it is merely Inecessary to pullon the endless flexible band or ring 2a and thereby detach thefluid-iilled cushion. The yokes 13 supported from the ends of theheadband may have their ends pivotally connected to diametricallyopposite portions of the cups.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a modication of the means for clamping thefluid-filled cushions to the cups. The fluidiilled cushion 2 has anintegral annular extension 2c which extends about the entire peripheryof the cushion 2 and which is adapted to become sandwiched between aprotuberance 2d, disposed along the entire periphery of cup 1, and apair of opposed clamps 1a, 1b, of substantially U-shape, surrounding theperipheral portion of cup 1. At the end of the extremities of clamp l1athere are provided integral parts 3, each having a hole extendingvertically therethrough and at the end of the extremities of the otherU-shaped clamp 1b there are provided integral parts 4, each lhavingregistering holes therethrough, through which holes fastening bolts 5are inserted and screwed to parts 4 to securely clamp parts `la and v1btogether in clamping engagement with the peripheral extension 2c of thefluid-tilled cushions to hold them in place against 4the annular baseplate 16.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 6, the headphone set includes a headbandformed of two springs 13 arranged substantially parallel and disposedabout substantially a semicircle. The ends of these springs extendthrough openings formed in the sleeve-like parts 6 pivotally mounted onparts 3 by pivots 7. Thus by sliding parts 6 up and down, adjustment ofthe diameter or springiness of the headband to suit different head sizesmay be effected and when suitable adjustment is obtained screws 8 aretightened and the adjustment may be maintained. It will be noted thatthe cups are pivotally movable, with respect to the ends of theheadband, about pivots 7 as a center, to automatically adjust thecushions to t about the ears of the wearer.

A further feature of the present invention comprises the mounting of anearphone 1t) (of any well known construction) within the ear cup, whichmounting comprises a spring y14 which encircles the inner peripheralmouth portion of cup 1, resting against base plate 16, and terminates ina substantially hook-shaped end 14a. Spring 14 enables lateral andvertical adjustment of the earphone 10.

Receiver 1t) is connected by means of a flexible lead-in wire 11 to aplug 12 which may be inserted in any suitable jack or soc et of theradio receiver or other receiving set.

if desired, the cups 1 may be partly lled at their outer or bottomportions with a mass of sponge rubber, cellular plastic, or the like forabsorbing sounds that might enter from the outside.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided an eiiicient ear protectorassembly including fluid-filled cushions which are easily and quicklydetachable or replaceable; furthermore, we have provided a highlyeihcient earphone receiver mounting within the cu-p which enablessubstantial exclusion or attenuation of loud or unwanted sounds, suchas'frorn jet engines, and insures clear reception from the receiver evenin very noisy areas; furthermore, we have provided a iiuid-iilling forthe cushions which is such as to insure maximum suppression orattenuation of low and lL'gh `frequency sounds as well as provide a verycornfortable lit around ythe ears of the wearer so as to prevent fatigueeven when wom 4for extended periods of time.

While we have illustrated and described several specific embodiments ofour invention, it will be understood that these are by way ofillustration only, and that various changes and rnodiiications may bemade within the contemplation of our invention and within the scope ofthe following claims.

IWe claim:

1. In a pair of substantially hemispherical ear cups of a headset eachcup having a radially inwardly extending i'lange and a radiallyoutwardly extending protuberance at the mouth portion, a plastic linerof tubular shape :including a partial iilling of non-gaseous Huid,supported against said iauge of each cup, each liner having a radiallyoutwardly extending, ytwo-layered annular extension vof the same plasticmaterial ias said liner, and an endless elastic band integrallysandwiched between the layers of the peripheral portion of saidextension which,

4, Y upon stretching so as to pass beyond said protuberance, will ybedetachably held in place by said protuberance.

2. In a headset as recitedin claim 1, together with an earphone mountedinside each cup, a spring for mount-Y ing each earphone, which springencircles and yieldably rests against :the inner surface `of the mouthportion of each cup, and against said ange, and having an end portionextend-ing substantially radially inwardly which yieldably supports thecorresponding earphone in space substantially centrally of the cup.

3. ln a headset as recited in `claim 1, wherein said liner is evacuatedof air and wherein said non-gaseous fluid consists of a mixture of Waterand glycerine substantially devoid of air bubbles, the amount ofglycerine varying from about 20% to about 70% of the amount of water, byvolume.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,668,896 Curran et al May 8, 1928 2,353,070 Pitkin July 4, 19442,529,562 Martin NOV. 14, 1950 2,861,423 Shaw et al. t Aug. 6, 19572,856,469' Morse Oct. 14, 1958 2,883,672 Hornickel et al Apr. 28, 1959

1. IN A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY HEMISPHERICAL EAR CUPS OF A HEADSET EACHCUP HAVING A RADIALLY INWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE AND A RADIALLY OUTWARDLYEXTENDING PROTUBERANCE AT THE MOUTH PORTION, A PLASTIC LINER OF TUBULARSHAPE INCLUDING A PARTIAL FILLING OF NON-GASEOUS FLUID, SUPPORTEDAGAINST SAID FLANGE OF EACH CUP, EACH LINER HAVING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLYEXTENDING, TWO-LAYERED ANNULAR EXTENSION OF THE SAME PLASTIC MATERIAL SSAID LINER, AND AN ENDLESS ELASTIC BAND INTEGRALLY SANDWICHED BETWEENTHE LAYERS OF THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID EXTENSION WHICH, UPONSTRETCHING SO AS TO PASS BEYOND SAID PROTUBERANCE, WILL BE DETACHABLYHELD IN PLACE BY SAID PROTUBERANCE.